This invention relates to the field of computer networking and, more specifically, to the moderation of discussion on computer networks.
A popular application of computer networking is a world wide system of newsgroups referred to as net news or USENET. Newsgroups are specialized forums in which users with a common interest can exchange information in the form of articles, messages, questions, etc. (hereinafter xe2x80x9carticlesxe2x80x9d). Thousands of newsgroups exist on technical and non-technical topics including computers, science, recreation, politics, and sex. Each newsgroup has its own style, etiquette, and custom. Individuals interested in a particular topic can subscribe to a related newsgroup containing articles on that topic. Articles are stored in a database that allows subscribers to access the articles using a computer program known as a news reader. The database can be one or more servers that allows subscribers to request only the articles they wish to see, without having to wastefully duplicate the storage of a copy of each article on each user""s computer. Typically, a news reader checks a file to see which newsgroups a user subscribes to. The news reader then displays a summary of unread articles which can be selected from the server for reading. News readers also allow users to post their own articles on the USENET. These postings may be responses to or comments on previously posted articles which, in turn, may also be responded to creating a discussion thread.
Some of the articles that are posted, however, may be considered offensive or obscene to certain newsgroup users. Furthermore, the United States Supreme Court has recognized that a State may regulate obscene material without infringing on an individual""s First Amendment rights. To be obscene, a publication must, taken as a whole, appeal to the prurient interest, must contain patently offensive depictions or descriptions of specified sexual conduct, and on a whole have no serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Furthermore, obscenity is to be evaluated under the standards of the community. Although First Amendment limitations on State power does not vary from community to community, the Court did not require a jury to apply a national community standard when evaluating a publication for obscenity. Rather, the particular community standard to be used is based on the facts in each case. As such, some articles posted on newsgroup servers may be considered legally obscene based on which community standard is used. However, material deemed legal appropriate by a community as a whole may still be considered obscene to some individuals within that community. A news provider will generally not edit news content unless notified by a user that the content is considered by them to be obscene or illegal (e.g. violates copyright laws).
One solution to this problem is to have individuals use a killfile program which specifies that articles with a certain subject or from a certain person are to be discarded upon arrival, prior to being displayed. This solution, however, does not enable an effective screen based on the content of articles. Another problem with this solution is that as new news groups and new individuals are continually added, the killfile must be continually modified.
Another solution is to have the newsgroup moderated. A moderated newsgroup is one in which only moderators can post articles to the newsgroup. All postings to a moderated newsgroup are automatically sent to the moderator, who posts articles that are deemed appropriate and discards the rest. This solution, however, leaves the screening process to the discretion of a moderator. Furthermore, a moderator may not been able to effectively screen through a high volume of articles especially when different users, possibly constituting different communities, have different standards of what is considered appropriate or obscene.
The present invention pertains to a method of information distribution including developing a plurality of virtual communities from a plurality of clients on a network. Each one of the plurality of virtual communities self moderating the information distributed to the plurality of clients within each of the plurality of virtual communities.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.